Is D’Angelo Russell the player who showed All-Star potential the first 12 games of the season before his knee injury or the player whose statistics have marginally improved overall since his rookie year?

Russell’s development is crucial to the success of the Brooklyn Nets in the near and long-term future as the organization determines if he’s a franchise cornerstone. He’s owed $7.02 million next season and is eligible for a $9.16 million qualifying offer, and restricted free agency, in the summer of 2019.

“Nobody in this room or in this arena questions his talent,” Nets forward DeMarre Carroll said. “You just want him to do it consistently, and you want him to be that big-time player. D’Angelo is probably the closest thing we would have to an All-Star on our team if he did it consistently.”